By Hannah Zafuta Pollen is in the air! If there is one bad thing about the blooming buds of spring time it’s the allergies that come along with them. If you’re anything like me (grass is my number one allergy -- yay!) you could use some tips for how to deal. If allergies have never been a problem for you skip this article, and please know that I deeply envy you.  Antihistamines, obviously. Take an over-the-counter antihistamine DAILY like Claritin or Zyrtec for a little relief.Just avoid the drowsy kind if you want to make it through finals too. 
Nasal Sprays help with nasal symptoms the most. You can buy them without a prescription or you can have your doctor prescribe you something with a little more kick.  
Neti Pot: You don’t have to search far for these, and they come in all different shapes and sizes. Yes, you pour clean, solution-mixed water in one nostril and it comes out the other. It’s disgusting, but it works. Apparently America was behind on this trend because we do not place a big enough emphasis on nasal hygiene. Neti Pot recommends everyone to cleanse weekly, even if you’re not sick. Local Honey. Bet you didn’t see this one coming! I believe this old wives’ tale. Consuming local honey on a regular basis does build up your immunities to nearby pollen because that’s what the bees used to make the honey! Crazy, huh? You can find local honey at the Farmer’s Market and Ozark Natural foods. I like to add it to my tea. Heck, if your sneezes are keeping you up you can add a spoonful to some sleepy-time tea to knock out your sleep and sinuses. 
Allergy shots I’ve had my allergies tested a few times, which means I’ve been stuck with hundreds of needles dipped in what I’m allergic to and watched my body swell to its reaction. So much fun. Anyway, you should really get your allergies tested if you do suffer from them and don’t know what you’re allergic to. Getting weekly allergy shots from your doctor consistently can have a huge, positive effect. I promise you the needles on these shots are tiny, so have no fear.  
Travel Tissues I think this one goes without saying. Keep a little pack in your backpack if this is a problem for you. Those little Kleenex pouches are kind of cute.  Hope these tips help some of you out there! In the meantime, if you see someone in class blowing their nose, we know it’s gross and it sucks to sit by us. We, allergy sufferers try our best so instead of giving a dirty look just imagine how we feel.